REMBAU: Political parties in the unity government contesting the six state elections on Aug 12 should refrain from openly showing their support for their choice of Mentri Besar, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Barisan Nasional deputy chairman said this matter should only be discussed when the polls are over.
“Let’s focus on winning the elections first. Barisan and Pakatan Harapan leaders can surely sort this (the Mentri Besar candidates) out later. Let’s cross the bridge when we get there,” he said when met after opening an employment carnival here yesterday.
On Friday night, the Negri Sembilan DAP said it wants Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun to serve a second term as Mentri Besar if Pakatan and Barisan manage to defend the state in the polls. State DAP chief and party secretary-general Anthony Loke said that he would convey the state DAP’s stand to the Pakatan leadership.
Mohamad said the ultimate decision on who becomes Mentri Besar rests with the state Ruler.
Citing an example, he said Umno’s poster boy in the Johor election was Datuk Seri Dr Hasni Mohammad, but the state Ruler chose someone else as Mentri Besar instead.
“This is beyond the party, as the law clearly states that only the state Ruler has absolute power in the matter,” he said.
On another matter, Mohamad, who is a four-term Rantau assemblyman, said he will make a decision on who will be the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Rantau seat on July 29, which is nomination day.
He added that he had proposed several names for Rantau but all have declined to be fielded as the Barisan Nasional candidate.
“I had proposed a few names to be considered by the leadership, but all of them have said no.
“It has put me in a sort of difficult situation as we can’t decide,” he said in reply to a question about whether he would be defending the Rantau seat this time around.
Mohamad did not rule out the possibility of contesting the seat again. “The Rantau folk have asked me to seek another term. They seem to be quite comfortable with me,” he added.
